In Anticipation of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Count down! Just a mere 1/2 day (plus some) til we are off to see the wizard... well... the Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

I am not a big movie buff. I do like to watch a movie... hence my anticipation for this evening... but that isn't top on my priority list of things to do. Then again, I have too much to do that I just can't justify it more than about once a week. That right there is about 2 hours. 2 movies is 4 hours, 3 movies is 6 hours. It is hard enough to get in the very necessary spiritual reading one must do daily to grow in Faith... or the basic simple prayers, nevermind a deeper prayer life. And forget TV, just the commercials are enough to make me scream and flee in terror. I have often wondered how we could ever justify a TV in our home.
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Too many movies (and TV) desensitizes the soul to what is out there. It just does. It's the nature of the beast.... the very clever beast. We get used to poor language, ill-clad figures, poor attitudes.... major etc! We don't even see it! It becomes acceptable in our minds, our hearts... our souls. In ways, it often becomes the more desirous way. It becomes our directive to how we view others, most especially those who try to live a life of virtue. The visual in movies will go deep into one's soul and it begins to gradually become acceptable on some level. And it is nearly impossible to erase those images. If you try to live a life of virtue or at least search for it or at least think about it, movies (in general) are probably not the best means to attain virtue!

When I see a movie I cannot help but view it through the eyes of a Catholic on the road to Eternity..... because that is who I am, a Catholic... on the road to Eternity and I wish to spend my Eternity with Our Lord in Heaven. And particularly I am a Catholic mother trying to raise saints. This is why I loved Lord of the Rings movies, it was so clearly our journey to dispose of our "ring", or "little red wagon" as one of my tutors in college used to say, that everyone wants to cling to. (of course in my case we are talking a u-haul.... the big one) We all have those things we must let go of. Some may or may not like these movies but clearly the message was a beautiful one. Of course.... the books are miles better.... as usual! (and don't get me started on Arwen, she was not my favorite, that's why I'm Aragorn's wife... not Arwen!!)

I think in each and every thing we choose to do in this world, in some way it must be for the greater honor and glory of God, for our greater edification. Does everything have to be from a religious book? Of course not. At the same time, we must be vigilant. Be vigilant and avoid becoming desensitized.

We have all watched every trailer we can find about this movie, read reviews, critics and otherwise and we are all extremely excited to go. It's not very often we go to a theater. It looks to us like it will be terrific. The children have been counting down for 2 years. "I'll be TWELVE when it comes out!!" They can hardly wait but mom and dad first!