Happy Endings

I recently watched one of my favorite movies, Pride and Prejudice (the Keira Knightly version). I absolutely LOVE it! The music is fantastic and speaks to my soul. I find it interesting to imagine living in such a different era. However, despite the incredible distance between that time and now, life seems to have been pretty much the same. Girls were constantly worried or thinking about getting married; their parents tried to play matchmaker (sometimes to the dismay of their daughters); often they had to worry about dealing with the advances of creepy or undesirable suitors. Like always, money was a major factor in a relationship. These issues are common today as well. I think one of my absolute favorite parts of this story, though, is the happy ending. Elizabeth must go through a lot of heartache and confusion, but eventually she finds true love and she and her handsome Mr. Darcy live happily ever after. I am a hopelessly and completely romantic person and I looove it when all works out!
This weekend I also watched another movie associated with Jane Austen: Becoming Jane. This movie is based on the actual life of Jane Austen, and the twisted plot really surprised me. The ending was definitely NOT what I expected! Consequently, this weekend I've been thinking a lot about endings to things.

My birthday was an ending to another year. Today, Sunday, is an ending to another week. The whole season of Autumn is associated with the culmination of another harvest as farmers reap the fruits of their labor. All around me, the trees with their sudden explosions of varied hues of red, orange, and yellow leaves warn me that another blissful period of warmth and sunshine is about to give way to the dreary cold of wintertime.

Obviously, winter is not my favorite time of year. Similarly, I often do not enjoy going through "wintery" periods of my life, which are filled with difficulty, uncertainty, and immense challenges. However, I love the solid assurance during wintertime that spring is on the way. If I just endure for a short time, I am sure to see the miracle of fresh life come upon the earth once again. Trials don't last forever, either. I know that eventually I can overcome them, turning out stronger and more appreciative than ever before.

Sometimes we reach points in our lives that seem like the end. We may be at our wit's end, at the end of patience, or we may feel stuck in a rut, unsure of how we can move forward or progress. Someone close to us may have moved away or even passed away and it seems like that could be the end of our association with them forever. When I think of endings, though, I can't help but think of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Through Him, we can overcome those endings. He can get us out of the deepest recesses of our soul and give us the strength to face another day. Further, through Him we will overcome death and can be with our families and those we love forever.

As much as I love Pride and Prejudice and other movies with happy endings, I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is a true story! Every time I think about it I feel hope and excitement because I know that no matter what happens now, if I stay strong and dependent upon the Lord, I will end up with my own happy ending, and I can't wait!

Winter, bring it on!