Bullet Point Post: Saturday Style

• I’m home for the weekend; arrived yesterday afternoon, and I’ll return to school tomorrow evening. I could probably tally up several past posts which I have begun with the exact phrase seen above. I’m rather repetitive sometimes.

• Actually, I’ve been told that before. I wrote a paper last year, and exercised much the same writing techniques that appear in my blog posts, and someone read that paper and told me that I was repetitive. I think about that quite frequently, actually. Think about it frequently, and do almost nothing to alter my writing style.

• So I’m still repetitive.

• I took the two young sisters to the movie theater this evening. We saw The Croods. We’ve built a kind of tradition wherein I take it upon myself to accompany them to the theater once a year. The first time we did this, Larissa was three and Glendy was five, and we saw Despicable Me with Jo and her boys. The fire alarm in the theater went off partway through and I very nearly gave up the whole adventure, but they turned it off midway through our required evacuation and we were permitted back to our seats. Since the girls weren’t too deeply scarred by the whole experience, we did it again the next year.

• My father and I took the girls to see Winnie the Pooh two summers ago. I’ve already told you multiples times before how much I love that movie, and I’ll say it again because I have high standards friends, and that film is witty, creative, humorous, gentle, and quite endearing. So really, I encourage all to obtain and enjoy that great film.

• So The Croods. Having taken it upon my shoulders to bring the small ones to the theater, I of course feel responsible for the type of entertainment I was exposing them to. This explains why I actually read a review for The Croods, something I generally avoid doing. The review (from a Christian website, nonetheless) was surprisingly positive, and I approached this afternoon’s entertainment with eager curiosity. But oh, man, the movie was phenomenal. Deeply interesting from the opening credits, The Croods maintained my rapt attention throughout the film, and even made me cry in the emotional climax in the middle. I cried in a movie theater, friends.

• My father informed the kitchen today that I am becoming more emotive. What this means is that I had the emotional variety of a koala bear as a teenager, and have now grown such that not only do I allow tears to come out of my eyes, but I permit such eye leakage to occur in a movie theater.

• The Roommate is at school right now, while I am at home, and I’m experiencing the phenomenon wherein I feel very removed from what is happening in the realm of school because we work cooperatively to keep each other informed.

• So we Facebook chatted, which is a big deal because I haven’t been “online” on Facebook chat since the first week of January, due to the fact that when you are online, people talk to you, which I generally try to avoid in all areas of my life.

• But The Roommate. I found an image online featuring a zombie drawn in black and white, smiling creepily, captioned, “Running back to your room from the bathroom? I love a good race.” I posted said image on The Roommate’s Facebook wall because I am constantly being teased for the fact that I run so fast from the bathroom, back to our room, that the toilet is still flushing when I burst into the room. I posted the image on her wall and reminded her that this is real life: I must run, and I must run very quickly.

• But I’m home now, of course, and there are no zombies in these hallways. This is probably because there are 2.7 feet between the bathroom and my bedroom door, and that just isn’t enough space for a zombie.

• In closing, I’ve taken to calling the small sisters food items, as a term of endearment. I kissed them an hour ago, after having read them two chapters of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and said goodnight to Taco Sauce and Cheesecake. With that in mind, good night dear French Fries, and we’ll probably talk again rather soon.

~Natalia

Real Battle

I wrote a paper on a movie last semester. I told you about it, remember? I watched The Adjustment Bureau and wrote about sovereignty and free will and the echoes of God that are woven throughout the film. I like the movie, and I liked the paper, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I could have written more, much more, on that same topic.

And today Larissa’s birthday party, we’ve all ended up at the same restaurant afterwards. And I’m sitting sideways in the corner, my feet balanced on the bottom of my father’s chair. Conversation has skipped stepping-stones from professor to Paris to films and have you seen Midnight in Paris? And my ears are perked instantly because that’s another movie that I like quite a bit, and just about anything including the word “Paris” snatches my attention and holds it.

There’s discussion about the movie, and some have seen it and others haven’t, and I told my dad I could write a blog post about the film, but then I stopped; If I could find some deeper meaning in it. And someone said they bet I could, and maybe I could, maybe I will, someday.

But I saw The Hobbit again tonight and maybe I was more awake, and maybe I had my eyes open to it, but the depth of the story; of lines, of looks, of actions, sunk in a little more. And Orcs aren’t real, and Gollum doesn’t exist, but the darkness that’s creeping into Middle Earth in The Hobbit, the darkness that nearly overtakes everything as the story of the Ring continues to unfold, isn’t fake.

God is real. Real and sovereign and the most powerful One. He is more good than I can ever wrap my mind around, and He is light. That’s true. But Satan is just as real. Deceitful and smart and fighting against all that is good, all that is light, with all his being. He’s working to bring darkness.

And sometimes, Satan seems to be winning. There were 500 homicides in Chicago this year, and someone was getting beat up on the corner as we drove past on our way to PCM. And God is the Creator of the world and everything in it, and He’s the King of my heart, but sin streaks black through even the redeemed and sometimes I’m just as dark as outside, too.

But He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world, and I know Light wins over darkness in the very end. It’s a funny sort of limbo I’m in, we’re all in, now. Because we’re saved, redeemed, now, and I know exactly where I’m going when I die. But I’m still alive now, and I’m still watching the light collide with dark all around me, and I’m supposed to be involved in this fight, too.

And Gandalf says courage and strength, and it’s the little things that matter. And he’s a wizard, so he must not be wrong, but there’s a big thing under all these little things, too. A big God under it all. And each kindness, each prayer, each stumble step of faith, is founded in the drowning undercurrent of a God who is Light.

Because good is real and evil is real, and this life we’re living really is an adventure, but I know who wins, and I know what He would have me do.

~Natalia

B’Loon

I’m a big fan of the most recent Winnie the Pooh movie,

the one that came out a year or two ago.

Fantastic cast,

humorous storyline,

witty dialogue,

and a great soundtrack.

I’m just generally a fan.

One of my favorite characters is B’loon.

B’loon is red, floats everywhere,

and has a much great role than you’d think possible for a ballon.

I’ve been feeling a bit like B’loon lately.

Not anchored to anything,

enjoying everything I’m doing

and finding my identity in nothing specific.

Happy and light and involved,

just floating around,

waiting for something to grab me

and hold onto me.

~Natalia

Been Two

It’s been two long, full, wonderful days with the cousins.

We visited the Hancock Observatory, pacing around 360 degrees of bright Chicago landscape.

We walked down Michigan Avenue, hiking past stores and shops in the sweltering heat.

We sat in the grass at Millenium Park, listening to a jazz band perform and watching the people of Chicago wander past. We took pictures in the Bean, splashed around the spitting fountains, and then made our way back to the purple line.

We sat in a circle on the living room floor, concentration and competitiveness mixing with shouts of laughter as we played round after round of KEMPS, topping our evening off with a little Catchphrase.

We ate lunch at Great Harvest, nibbling on free bread samples while we waited for our delicious, fresh sandwiches.

We visited Dad’s work, traipsing up and down white tiled halls, stepping into labs and listening intently as Dad explained the function of different microscopes, and what exactly a polymer is.

We sat on the bleachers at the pool and watched Stevy swim, working to keep an eye on the correct athlete amidst lanes full of swimmers.

We had deep dish pizza, digging into juicy slices heaped with tomatoes, pepperoni, and vegetables.

We watched movies, nestled into couches while Nemo, Ironman, and other films unfolded on the big screen in front of us.

We played, we chilled, we laughed, we talked.

It’s been two days with the cousins, and we’re having a wonderful time.

~Natalia

Just Going to be Honest…

I can handle some violence in movies.

Yep, I’m more or less fine with that.

Add a little blood, a little gore, and yes, I might have closed my eyes a little during that scene.

But really, I’m fine.

But at the first note of foreboding music, at the first hint of suspense, of thrill, of spooky, you better believe I’m freaking out.

The protagonist went around a dark corner?

Yes, I may have shielded my eyes a bit.

The music’s getting faster and the antagonist is going to pounce at any moment?

Okay, fine. I plugged my ears and peeked through the cracks between my fingers over my eyes.

The screen is dark and you know a zombie or equally unnatural and villainous individual is going to jump out at any moment?

Sigh, you got me. Yes, I did just give up on peeking through my fingers and instead pull the blanket up over my head completely.

I like movies a lot. But sometimes, they freak me out a bit.

I guess I’m kind of a pansy like that.

~Natalia

#TheHungerGames

I just received the following text from my father:

“At hunger games with brian and stephen. #wishyouwerehere”

His message produced in me a collection of conflicting emotions.

I felt proud, as well as general warm fuzzies, that my father, who staunchly refused to own a cellphone until scant years ago, texts me regularly.

I experienced shock and awe, mixed with much mirth, that my father included a hashtag in his text (and used it appropriately, at that!).

And lastly, and potentially most strongly, I felt deeply jealous that he is seeing the film before I am; the man has not even read the books!

Through it all, though, I’m clinging to the hope that waiting six more hours to see The Hunger Games will not, in fact, kill me, and the wait may even aid me in my sanctification process.

But I really, really want to see the movie.

~Natalia

Friday: 1am

I saw this movie again tonight.

Still think it’s an amazing film.

Still trying to wrap my mind around all that it says about God and His sovereignty and human free will.

So much to think about, but it’s 1am on Friday night.

I’m going to go down the hall and sit on the bed and talk and laugh and relax and just be with my friends for a bit.

Plenty of time to think later.

Happy Weekend,

~Natalia

He Knew

Remember a couple of days ago when I wrote about trusting God that He would not abandon me where I was, but rather, would sustain me and bring me a little farther yet?

I wasn’t just writing to you when I wrote that; I was writing to myself. I was desperately trying to convince myself that God is faithful. God is wise. God is merciful. God is kind.

That God knows what He’s doing.

Even as I wrote that post, my heart was aching with the emotion of not being in Mexico, of returning to school, of once again taking part in the crazy business that I call my life here at Moody Bible Institute.

And I was having a hard time truly believing that God could really be all that.

I believe it now.

God knows what I need. Really knows what I need.

He knew that I needed rest. He knew that I craved closeness and security in the relationships around me. He knew that I was hungry for His peace and grace.

Every need that I could have listed has been met this weekend. God came through, big time.

My relationships with the women on my floor have grown this weekend. Sleepovers, movie nights, and sitting on the floor in the hallway, talking about life and God and boys and popcorn. Making brownies and sitting around the coffee table, spoons in hand, finishing them off as soon as they came out of the oven. Learning. Sharing. Talking. Laughing. Being.

As He always does, God knew what I needed.

And as He always does, God provided.

I have been refreshed. Rejuvenated. Built up again.

And I’m so thankful.

~Natalia

Casablanca Refreshed

I am here to inform you that my cultural awareness increased this evening. Although, actually, I’m still attempting to figure out why there is an unspoken rule that all women must see Casablanca at least once during their lifetimes. I’m honestly a little confused as to the main plot and conflict resolution involved in the film, and is Casablanca even a genuine place?

But really, it was a refreshing and relaxing time spent with other girls on the floor, enjoying a cultural staple on this fine September evening.

And now, to Bible study.

~Natalia

Life Right Now {#9}


Back to the Future movie night!

~Natalia

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