Well, It's been a busy week and I haven't posted my Message Recap in a while. Been letting this past one simmer in my mental crockpot for a the past week. You will note that I refer to it on my other blog. It was good and seemed especially relevant as I went out of town Wednesday to talk to a group of moms about what matters most. The message Sunday was entitled "Ponderings on Spiderman's Peter Parker" Yes, we got another movie review in church complete with actual movie footage. How's that for visual aids? So we explored the life of Peter Parker alias "Spiderman" who is everyman turned superhero. Now, everyone wants to be a hero, but there is sacrifice in heroism. You have to give up the good life for the better life. You have to give up the known for the unknown, that which can be seen for that which is unseen. And sometimes, as my pastor said "you have to give up your dreams" When I went to speak at my sister's church to a group of moms about the value of motherhood, everyone went around the room and said what they would be doing if they were not a mom. Most of these women were highly educated with bachelor's or master's degrees. Some used to teach college, others high school, middle school or elementary school. There were women who put medical careers on hold. Some of them had lived lives of adventure previous to having children, traveling, mountain biking, and climbing. But the good life in every case was put on hold for the better life. And dreams, well they were put on hold, modified or let go. Remember Peter Parker- At one point, he doesn't believe that he wants the hero's life anymore. The hero's life can be pretty lonely. You find yourself out of synch with the rest of the world, and misunderstood. And sometimes you might wonder what you are missing out on. Peter Parker steps out of heroism for a while to live once again as everyman. But he knows too much now. He may be everyman but he knows something about darkness in the world and his ability to fight it that he never knew before. And I don't think you can go back once you realize what the stakes are. So he steps back into is spidey costume and chooses the life of the hero. You may wonder why this talk at church. What is the biblical relevance? It was all based on Hebrews 11. You can read the text through the Gateway Bible link to your right on this blog. Hebrews 11 is a list of heroes of the faith. Men who gave up the known for the unknown. Who had a vision for something bigger than mediocrity.
In my own personal bible study this week I came across Matthew 13:44-46 The parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl. This story relates the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. I think hidden is a key word here. Its not out in the open for everyone to see and desire like a fancy sports car. It is hidden, mysterious but of great value, so recognizably great that the man who found it sold all he had (the good life) to purchase the field (the better life). Perhaps he sold what made him appear rich and successful for what appeared to be just a field. For me this was a wake up call to understand value, lasting value, not momentary value. For me, giving up a career to concentrate on motherhood and my family has more lasting value, I hope it turns out to be eternal value than anything I could have gained from a career. I have to march to the beat of a different drummer, but that's okay because I know I am not alone. I just met more women this past week who recognized the value of the hidden treasure of their children and gave up the good life for the better life and bought the field.
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