The Magic Never Really Ends

The Magic Never Really Ends

  It seems as if the whole world is holding its breath in glorious expectation until they can once again enter into the magical world of Harry Potter. Advance ticket sales for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two have already reached 25 million dollars and are still climbing. It seems as if the only enemies in the world that Harry has are Lord Voldermort and the Death Eaters. But that hasn’t always been the case. It wasn’t all that long ago when not everyone was wild about Harry.
    When the first of the Potter movies came out, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Augusta Chronicle was flooded with letters to the editor denouncing the Boy who Lived. Why? Because there was concern that reading or watching Harry Potter would lead countless scores of people into the Dark Arts. Harry was denounced as being anti-Christian and a bad influence on children with its portrayal of magic and sorcery. Passages from the Bible were quoted to bolster the argument that to enter the world of Harry Potter was to enter the world of the devil. It’s hard to imagine now, but whether or not a Christian should see the movie or read the books, was a real controversy in evangelical circles.

     Fast forward ten years and the biggest controversy is to decide whether to brave the opening weekend crowds or wait a few days to see The Boy who Lived.
     So what has changed? For those of us who have always loved Harry, even amongst us clergy, there was always the understanding that this was a tale of good versus evil on an epic scale. At one point in The Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry asks his godfather Sirus Black if he, Harry, is a bad person. Sirus replies that Harry is a very good person to whom bad things have happened. It’s the goodness and courage of Harry in the face of evil that has made him so attractive.
    Not long after The Sorcerer’s Stone was first released, America faced pure evil with the attacks of September 11, 2001. You didn’t need to enter a magical world to face a power that did not wish us well; it was right here in our own back yard. For many, especially children, Harry became the face of resistance against evil; it didn’t matter how young you were, you still had the power to fight darkness and win. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against…the powers of this world…against this present darkness. Therefore take us the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in that evil day.” (Ephesians 6). That was the fight of Harry, Ron and Hermione and remains the struggle for each of us today.
     So what might be the biggest controversy with Harry today? That it is the last installment and the deep wish that J. K. Rowling would once go to her keyboard, unleash her talent, and once again lead us into the magical world of Harry Potter.

Sabbatical Prayers

Sabbatical Prayers

Things have been quiet on the God and Dog Travelogue front of late but that is because I’ve been traveling. I have left beautiful, cool Maine to return to the blazing heat of the South. I’ll update you all shortly about the trip back but first I wanted to thank you all for your continued prayers while I’ve been away.
As you might have guessed, I’m not in Paris. There are a couple of reasons for that but the main one I kept to myself for several weeks. Just as I began my Sabbath at Day Lily cottage I discovered a lump under my arm. Things like this happen to most women at some time in our lives so, in the proverbial words of my mother, I didn’t “borrow trouble”. I didn’t want to cut short my time in New England, so I waited until I could return to Georgia to see my physician. During the weeks of waiting, I practiced what I have preached to so many of you over the years – I did not go on the web and did not try to self diagnosis myself into a frenzy. God, I hate it when my words come back to haunt me! In addition to the lump, I was also having trouble with my contacts but that, I knew, could be easily remedied.
So today was spent seeing my family physician and my optometrist. And the news was good on all fronts. The lump turned out to be an infection which is being treated with antibiotics; but there was more good news. While I was waiting to be seen by the doctor, I had the usual work ups – weight, heart rate and blood pressure. And there were improvements in all areas. Several years ago I was diagnosed with hyper-tension and have been on blood pressure medicine ever since. Even with the meds, sometimes my blood pressure is still a bit too high, so I monitor it (see, I do pay attention Dr. Edwards!). Today my blood pressure was stellar, in a range I haven’t seen for years.
One doctor visit down, another to go. I went to my optometrist, whom I had just seen three months ago, and explained that my contacts weren’t working as well as they should. An examination should that my eyesight had dramatically improved. My prescription needed to be adjusted because I was seeing that much better! He didn’t really have an explanation for it but I do – and so do you! I know that all of this is due to this Sabbath time and to your continue prayers, and for that I am so grateful. So much of my sabbatical has been spent in learning to really see God’s world as God would have me see it. I needed to adjust my vision about the world and God and the dogs have been instrumental in allowing me to do just that. Now I have discovered that my vision has literally improved. Imagine that.
Thank you for your prayers. I am spending this last bit of time visiting family and deciding if I really want to redecorate my house. Since God has been redecorating my soul, why not?