Weird post, but go with it.

So, I don't know if you watch Lord of the Rings.
A lot of people think it's too violent, or just flat out gross.
However, I definitely don't see it that way. In fact, the more I see that the more I think that movie is flat out beautiful.
... I don't blame you for thinking that's weird. But hear me out.

LOTR was written by J.R.R. Tolkien, who just so happened to be best friends of C.S. Lewis, who wrote the Chronicles of Narnia (which is another one of my favorite movies). These were both made into movies about the same time. The amazing thing that these have in common is they both have some very obvious Christian symbolism. Narnia is written more for the younger kids, and LOTR is more towards teenagers and adults.

I was watching the final movie of the trilogy at one of the boys dorms last night, and it was amazing how I felt God opening my eyes to so many things in that movie that I had never really seen before.

If you haven't seen the movie I really recommend them, even if it's not your normal kinda thing. The reason is, they make you think. They make you see things in a different way. They make you feel. They make you wonder what you would do if you were in that situation. There's violence, but really, it's a story about the fight between good and evil. And what's amazing is, you realize that this is really... kinda... how life is.

Now I'm sure if you've seen a commercial for it and seen the big ugly Orks or random dragons flying around... you don't think that's how life is. But I think parts of this movie are about spiritual warfare. I think the beginning, how everything is perfect and right in the world and nothing too exciting ever really happens... that's how we typically see life. Sure, there's life and there's death but our lives are honestly not that ridiculous or unfair. But then, to do what's right to really make a difference that will affect the whole world, they have to leave their home and comfort and face things they never thought was possible or real. That is what brings us into the spiritual warfare part. There are things going on, a full out war raging all around us that we walk in complete oblivion to. This should be a real eye opener for us.

You see many different characters, and you can kind of figure out who that person is in your life. The person you look up to, the born leader, the person who makes you laugh, the people who can't seem to grow up, all with different talents and abilities and weaknesses, all that are trying to do what's right to fulfill the mission that's laid out for them. They help you grow, and change who you are.

You see situations that you feel like you would never really be in, like fighting a dragon. But the more I think about it, the more you realize that could look like anything that is trying to consume you and bring you down. It's all satan. He can be big and ugly, but he can be beaten.

You see situations that you know happen everyday that break your heart, like a son never feeling good enough for his father.

You see situations like a girl realizing that the guy she's in love with, doesn't reciprocate those feelings.

But there was a part that I just thought "whoa. that's me right now." And that was last night when Frodo Sam and Gollum were climbing up the side of this slick mountain. They were running out of food and had no strength. And I thought, you know, that is me right now. I'm just climbing. In school, I'm trying. I know I could easily slip and mess everything up for me. I could give up. I could listen to Gollum (who I'm guessing is a demon or just very messed up person) and get distracted and depressed. Or I can keep going, though it feels never ending and sometimes just makes you want to cry, though you can't see the end. You can just keep climbing until you reach the top. Because reaching the top is a victory... even if it means you're about to face a spider the size of 4 grizzly bears.

Anyway, I was shocked going through the movie yesterday. Narnia has a really obvious christian message, it pretty much follows the Bible straight up in parts. But LOTR isn't like that. And I could never really find the symbolism. But yesterday it was like so many possibilities of what was going through Tolkien's mind entered mine and I fell in love with the movie all over again.

The whole movies are fantastic, but I love how in these movies, the underlying message always seems to be hope. Just wait, because God has a plan. Though this part down below is taken out of context, it shows the hope, and how God works in mysterious ways. It also shows why it won best picture, cause it's gorgeous.

Anyway, I recommend watch them if you haven't, even if at first it seems weird. God really can open your eyes to things about that movie that really change the way you think, and can be a motivation for you. And watch Narnia too, they aren't alike, and I have yet to meet someone who didn't love it.