My Heart Will Be Blessed... With the Sound of Music

I sit here listening to the absolutely beautiful voice of Julie Andrews singing in the Sound of Music, and I am marveling at how God made me. No matter how many times I watch this movie (and believe me, it's been a lot), and no matter what mood I'm in when I start it, I always end up just almost bubbling over with joy. Something about this movie speaks so deeply to my heart. I have yet to unpack every  metaphor, or understand exactly why this movie has so profound an effect on me, but I'd like to share just a few of things I've discovered.

Let's start at the very beginning... A very good place to start.

• Something in Maria's heart is wild. It longs for the hills, the adventure, the beauty, the music, and nothing can tame that. Even an abbey full of religiously rigorous nuns. In the beginning of the movie she  freely spins and sings in the glorious solitude of the mountain. And God meets her there with beauty and what I like to think of as the beautiful music God has written for her heart. She "goes to the hills when her heart is lonely" and her heart is "blessed with she sound of music" so she can sing again. God speaks to her heart while she is alone through beauty and music- not just in the religious rituals at the abbey.
• Something in me just wants shout out approval whenever Maria talks back to Captain Von Trapp. She's so stinking feisty! But mainly, she's strong. And she's not afraid to stand up for herself, and for those who can't stand up for themselves. Something in me deeply resonates with these scenes. She stands strong and gains the respect of the Captain.
• Maria, by her very presence, brings life, love, and joy back into a dead house. Personally, I don't think this would be possible without the Holy Spirit working in her and through her. The fruits of the spirit are so evident in her, and people are drawn to her. Jesus radiates through her character.
• Maria loves to sing, even when no one is listening. And by inviting other people into what she loves, and teaching the children how to sing, she brings joy back into a household, and helps begin to restore relationships. How cool is that?!
• When Maria gets afraid of her desires, or unsure about the future, she runs to the abbey. Dang, I can relate to that. I often just want someone to tell me what I need to do. To shrink back into a space of not being fully alive, but being safe behind the "abbey" walls of discipline, structure, or even religion. I empathize with Maria's attempt at self-protection...
• Reverend Mother speaks to Maria "These walls were not meant to shut out problems- you have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live." and "You have a great capacity to love. What you must figure out is how God wants you to spend that love." So often I put God in a box- that he must want me to walk the "good Christian" path- leading Bible studies, following the rules, telling people about Jesus. And those are good things! But really, the greatest commandment is to Love God with all my heart soul and mind and to love my neighbor as myself. And he can show me how to do that in many ways! I don't have to keep him in a box. And my problems aren't going to go away if I hide behind my nice looking walls..."[I] have to face them!" And God will be gracious in providing for me and in protecting me when I step obediently outside the abbey. 

Anyways, I am just amazed at the ways that God continues to pursue my heart- even through a movie that I've seen a million times. He is so good. And I pray that he pours more of his Spirit into me that I may be inviting and life-giving as Maria is pictured in this movie. 

So for now... So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

P.S. I'm sorry for all the puns, but as those of you who know me know- I love puns and the Sound of Music