Julie, Julia, and Me

Today I enjoyed a delightful escapade from the normal routine of life. The four children happily cared for by their adoring grandparents left me hours on end to spend in solitude. What to do with such a gift? My first response....Barnes and Noble Bookstore.

With an armful of books and a chai tea in hand, I spent a good portion of my day capturing great amounts of inspiration. Perusing books on blogging, decorating, cooking, sewing, photography, and the classics set the wheels of ideals into motion. I even ran into my favorite idealist while wandering the rows and rows of books. (It's amazing how this blog world makes me feel kin to someone I have not really ever spent time with in person.)

After absorbing a good portion of information which was carefully noted on the backs of receipts, napkins, or whatever source of paper could be found, I made way to my next destination...the paper store. With gift card in hand, I whittled away more than an hour admiring ribbon, paper, stamps, embellishments, and finally walked away with a bagful of treasures. A haircut, supper at a special cafe, and a little more shopping left me readied for my quiet home and a favorite movie.

Even though it is my third viewing of Julie and Julia in the past month, I find the story does not get old. I suppose I love it so much because it embraces so many of my passions: cooking, family, relationships, hospitality, writing, blogging. I laugh, as I realize that before the movie I had little interest in pearls, I thought Julia Child wrote The Joy of Cooking, and I imagined a good blog involved well thought paragraphs and preparation. Since first viewing the movie, I have learned to enjoy the down to earth conversation that takes place in blogosphere, I cook French Onion Soup, I admire a nice string of pearls when I pass by the jewelry in the department stores, and I consider Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child a high priority on my kitchen wish list. It's somewhat silly how one movie has changed my perspective and even inspired me to live more artfully, but it also is encouraging. You see, the real Julie Powell is somewhat of a crass individual and a seemingly unlikely candidate for inspiration. She has been criticized for her inappropriate language and lifestyle, yet she has inspired a story that is sure to send more cooks to the kitchen, more families to the dinner table, and more relationships valued. I am encouraged by this, that one ordinary human being with great faults could inspire so many people, simply by drawing public attention to the work of her inspiration, Julia Child.

Why am I encouraged by this? I am a faulty parent, wife, human being who simply wishes to live my life serving the greatest of inspiration, my Saviour, Jesus Christ and draw the attention of everyone I meet to His goodness. I am an unworthy candidate, full of faults; but in some small way I can inspire simply by living out each day the life He gifts to me. No, I may never inspire the masses, but I hope to leave a legacy with the four precious children entrusted to my care. That being said, I am renewed to pursue all things necessary to accomplish the goal before me; to live artfully, purposefully, daily for the One who gave His life for me.