I recently saw Disney's newest animated film, Frozen.
If you haven't seen it, stop. Close your smart phone, tell your spouse or child you'll be back in a bit. I'd recommend leaving a babysitter in your stead for the little ones. Now go see this film...now!
Without spoiling anything the trailer doesn't, Frozen is in large part about Elsa, an older sister, born into an undesirable circumstance that makes her feel afraid, different, and ice-olated (yeah, I went there). She feels cursed by the fact that she can cause a literal chill in any room she enters. Her sister often asks her "Do you want to build a snowman?" only to be answered by cold silence from behind a locked bedroom door. For her own protection, and she believes for the protection of those around her, Elsa builds walls so high human connection, one of the things we are designed for at our most basic level, is impossible.
Those who've seen the show know well the most powerful musical moment is Elsa singing "Let it Go." This Idina Menzel gem was nominated for a Golden Globe (Side note: while I LOVE U2, I believe the Golden Globes chose incorrectly here. I'm sure they will now rectify this decision.)
If you haven't seen it, check the song out here before proceeding.
If you haven't seen it, stop. Close your smart phone, tell your spouse or child you'll be back in a bit. I'd recommend leaving a babysitter in your stead for the little ones. Now go see this film...now!
Without spoiling anything the trailer doesn't, Frozen is in large part about Elsa, an older sister, born into an undesirable circumstance that makes her feel afraid, different, and ice-olated (yeah, I went there). She feels cursed by the fact that she can cause a literal chill in any room she enters. Her sister often asks her "Do you want to build a snowman?" only to be answered by cold silence from behind a locked bedroom door. For her own protection, and she believes for the protection of those around her, Elsa builds walls so high human connection, one of the things we are designed for at our most basic level, is impossible.
Those who've seen the show know well the most powerful musical moment is Elsa singing "Let it Go." This Idina Menzel gem was nominated for a Golden Globe (Side note: while I LOVE U2, I believe the Golden Globes chose incorrectly here. I'm sure they will now rectify this decision.)
If you haven't seen it, check the song out here before proceeding.
I suspect the song is so compelling because it cuts to the heart of shame for those of us who unknowlingly let shame sneak into our lives when we find ourselves in situations beyond our control. We allow voices to arise from within, whether from ourselves or from "The Accuser," that convince us in our heart of hearts we're unlovable, undeserving, un-everything.
The song is Elsa's beginning of living openly in the identity "heaven knows" she's suppressed for years. It falls short of true community in the moment but is a powerful first step in that direction.
I didn't realize until two or three years ago how much I had isolated myself well into my adult years. My roots are humble. We were a farm family in rural West Tennessee. My brothers and I chopped cotton every summer while many spent theirs at camps, on vacations, hanging out. What modest farm house we had was lost to weather and cattle prices beyond our control. We moved in with my grandma for a few years to survive. While I loved my family and the small towns in which my family lived, I could sense from a young age that at times we were judged as "less than" by the "haves."
It was a lie, of course. It always has been. Yet, the sting of sly glances remain. Someday maybe I'll write more here.
That's why, personally, I love Frozen and why, I suspect, many of you do too. Life has happened to us.
We were born too slow, "big boned," barren, two inches too short or three too tall, We lost the baby, boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend due to factors we couldn't control or explain. We were born into a family more Dollywood than Hollywood, the company downsized, our parents decided others could raise us better.
Maybe our dads expect our performance to always be just a half-step better? Perhaps our moms attempt to make us her trophy child instead of a child of God?
Unfortunately, we were born in a "Can anything good come from that place?" kind of town?
As mentioned in my last blog, there are two ways I believe shame begins to beat us down. The first of those is allowing the situations in which we find ourselves to trump the voice of God that says we are "good" and "his image," we are a big deal in the cosmos, despite appearances.
So, your point to ponder this week is:
What situations have I allowed to create a voice within me which steals my joy as God's good, image-bearing-in-the-cosmos, "big deal" status He's woven into my DNA?
*Image used above is from www.BestMovieWalls.com. Go check out their great stuff!
The song is Elsa's beginning of living openly in the identity "heaven knows" she's suppressed for years. It falls short of true community in the moment but is a powerful first step in that direction.
I didn't realize until two or three years ago how much I had isolated myself well into my adult years. My roots are humble. We were a farm family in rural West Tennessee. My brothers and I chopped cotton every summer while many spent theirs at camps, on vacations, hanging out. What modest farm house we had was lost to weather and cattle prices beyond our control. We moved in with my grandma for a few years to survive. While I loved my family and the small towns in which my family lived, I could sense from a young age that at times we were judged as "less than" by the "haves."
It was a lie, of course. It always has been. Yet, the sting of sly glances remain. Someday maybe I'll write more here.
That's why, personally, I love Frozen and why, I suspect, many of you do too. Life has happened to us.
We were born too slow, "big boned," barren, two inches too short or three too tall, We lost the baby, boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend due to factors we couldn't control or explain. We were born into a family more Dollywood than Hollywood, the company downsized, our parents decided others could raise us better.
Maybe our dads expect our performance to always be just a half-step better? Perhaps our moms attempt to make us her trophy child instead of a child of God?
Unfortunately, we were born in a "Can anything good come from that place?" kind of town?
As mentioned in my last blog, there are two ways I believe shame begins to beat us down. The first of those is allowing the situations in which we find ourselves to trump the voice of God that says we are "good" and "his image," we are a big deal in the cosmos, despite appearances.
So, your point to ponder this week is:
What situations have I allowed to create a voice within me which steals my joy as God's good, image-bearing-in-the-cosmos, "big deal" status He's woven into my DNA?
*Image used above is from www.BestMovieWalls.com. Go check out their great stuff!
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