Thanksgiving has come and gone. We both took the week off work (this never ever happens) and spent some time with family in Ta-town then KC. I have plenty to tell you about including pies, movie marathons, Christmas decor... but let's save that for later. Tonight we went to see A Christmas Carol with our families.
It is always a wonderful production. Such beautiful love and hope and joy! I've seen it several times, but have never read the book. Tonight hubs and I decided we wanted to read it. We'll see if that actually happens... The story is old enough that everyone has their own interpretations and their own perspectives on highlights and shortfalls, but I'll share my thoughts anyway since this blog is all about speaking from the abundance of my heart :-)
Belle has a relatively small part in the story. She was the woman Scrooge loved when he was young. She broke off their engagement because she said that Scrooge's idol of gold that had replaced his love for her. Idolatry. What a thought. Idolatry, not callousness, was the root of Scrooge's problem. It is not that he didn't smile enough, laugh enough, give enough, love enough. It was that he had an idol. His worship was misplaced.
That reminds me of the Sound of Music... The afternoon the children went to see Maria they didn't want the Captain to know so they made up story after pathetic story. When he doesn't fall for it, Liesl finally asks "Were do you think we were, Father?... Well, if you don't believe us you must have some idea where you think we were."
If I claim that his worship was misplaced I must have some idea where I think his worship should be placed.
...
Today is the beginning of advent. What a wonderful season of love, hope, and joy.
From the pastors of our church:
"The four Sundays leading up to Christmas have been observed ... as a way to prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of our Savior at Christmas. We take time to look at how the Bible speaks of the longing of God’s people for the Messiah, the promise of God to send one who would make all that is wrong right again, the arrival of the Promised One to inaugurate his kingdom, and his promise to come again to bring it to completion."
I too decided last night that I want to read a christmas carol, how weird! Also good thoughts on the play... it was not an inherent grouchy-ness that made scrooge alone and bitter, he is shown to be a happy child-adolescent-young adult, but rather it was his misplaced adoration for material things that drove people and relationships from him. I would be interested to see if there is more about this in the book, specifically if there is more about his greed at the age when Belle leaves him because it is only touched on in the play. Good thoughts, sister, good thoughts.
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