Skip to main content

Halfway Home

There is a part in the movie "Good Will Hunting" where Robin Williams' character gives this monologue about life.  He unravel's Matt Damon's character and pride of knowledge because there is a plain difference between knowing about something and actually experiencing it.

"So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that." 

This week I believe marks the half-way point on my travels through Europe.  As little as five years ago I thought I would be living somewhere in the middle of America, in a studio apartment, working two jobs and dancing in three shows a year.  Today I find myself about fifteen pounds farther from a dancer's physique and living in Europe for a glimpse of time.

How did I get here?

That girl I was talking about--the skinnier one--listened to Robin William's speech five years ago and sighed at the thoughts of travel and seeing the world.  That's all they were:  thoughts and impossibilities compared to the life I was preparing to live.  I didn't feel at liberty to dream of having both worlds.

So there I was standing under the Sistine Chapel and the miracle of Michelangelo really brought it home.  God really gave me so many desires of my heart.  The desire for adventure and independence came at a difficult price (think selling books) and it also meant I had to let go of ballet.  I've written before about loving and losing dance only to find my greater joy (read here if you're curious).  I don't think I'll ever lose it completely, and I believe it will be restored someday to the place God wants it to be.

I only write this to give God all the glory for these experiences and encourage those that feel "stuck" and wanting to go other places too.  Thanks to Papa, I have been able to travel more and grow my comfort zone.  I have a feeling these small travels out of the US are merely baby steps for more grand adventures in the future!

As of today at the age of 23, I know what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.  More than that, I know what it is to discover my greater joy in Jesus Christ.

I don't think it's cliché to quote Psalm 37:4:  

                "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Colosseum 


I still have some skills


Rainy night at the Spanish Steps


Outside the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II


One of my favorites


Another favorite of the Pantheon


I gave it a try at some Italian


Musei Vaticani


"Secret" photo of "you-know-what".  No photo could ever come close to how it feels to have that above your head.

Labels:

Comments

  1. Janelle aka Miss Nellie:)November 5, 2012 at 8:36 PM

    Just read this blog...you made me smile & tear (in that order) while reading it..tonight my friend!!
    Continue on your wonderful journey... knowing He loves you SO MUCH!! Your blogging reflects that "clear & secure" love that you are experiencing in HIM!! <((>< Janelle

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tucker's Birth Story

Tucker Jason Rhys was born on October 30th, 2023 at 3:18pm in the afternoon though I say his birth story started four months earlier in June.  In June we were packing up our family and lives in Africa to come back to America for a year. With two small kids and me being six month pregnant, Steven and I still thought it would be worth the effort to stop in Paris for a layover and do a couple Frenchy things like eat a croissant and see the Eiffel Tower.  It’s a “perk” of the job I tell myself—every flight path inevitably goes through Europe. We booked tickets that took us through Paris and then onto America. After booking everything we hit a snag—Farrah’s passport was set to expire in September and apparently France requires three months of validity left on a US passport before giving a visa to visit their country. She only had two months left before she needed to renew hers. (I'm getting to the birth, I promise…) Up until that last week on our island as we were packing our bags ...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Case You Were Curious

The feat of writing a post and explanation for what happened this past weekend has kept me from even attempting it for some days now.  How do you describe miracles but not as to cheapen the treasure of their testimony? First I must begin to explain who this man Steven is, and who he someday will be.  Skeptical, I have been for some years now which is why I categorize his existence as a miracle. He is strong.  Meek.  Authoritative in speech, and yet the most gentle of men.  He hates all the usual things like Wal-Mart and loves all the usual authors like G.K. Chesterton.  His brokenness before the Lord was what set him apart from the crowd for me.  I honor this man with words of encouragement. "Steven, you are dearly loved and anointed by Jesus.  Not because you have done great things for Him, but because your heart longs to make Him the focus.  You know He is good even in the desert seasons.  You have chosen Jesus.  You have a ...
6 comments
Read more

Let's Run!

I am tired of making the Christian life look good.  I might as well wear the t-shirt that says "Christians have more fun".  When Jesus said we could have life to the full (John 10:10), I am told He was not wearing the t-shirt.  If anything His shirt would say "fullness of life found here".  It's futile of me to think we Christians need to persuade the world that we love our lives.  In fact Paul said, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."--1 Corinthians 15:11  If indeed Jesus has been raised, then my living is not empty.  I fix my eyes on the prize.  That prize is not less drinking, fewer swear words, and a "good job" from morality at the end of the day...it is El Shaddai, God all sufficient. "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to ...
2 comments
Read more