Alright!! I took some time away from the Socials over my kids’ Christmas break. This was my third time doing this and it is probably one of my favorite traditions. (For real!!) This gives me some purposeful time with my babes, my family, and my thoughts without the distraction of keeping up with what else is going on in everyone else’s homes and lives. I am a HUGE fan of Instagram and Facebook, but I lose all sense of time just scrolling and double tapping!!
I did write a couple times, though, during that time. I just couldn’t not. I had some some time for thinking which always leads me to things to say!! So first up!!
MR. ROGERS!!
Did ya’ll watch “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”? Please tell me you did?? What did you think??
I walked out of that movie theater with my thoughts reeling. That a person could be so purposeful with his life. To love so well. To be so kind. To really, truly see people. I’ve had a couple take-aways in the weeks since I watched it, but my main one is this.
In the movie, the reporter, Lloyd, is ridiculously skeptical of Mr. Rogers. He believes that there is just no way that who Mr. Rogers presents himself to be is the real Fred Rogers. One day he met Mr. Rogers’ wife, Joanne. He questioned her about this. Her response was so perfect. I cannot quote it well, so I am going to give you the “Karlee version”.
She wanted to make sure that Lloyd knew that “Rog” as his family called him, was no saint. That who he was wasn’t easy or simple. He worked hard to be the man we know as Mr. Rogers. That calm, kind, man was very disciplined and purposeful. He woke up early every morning, went and swam laps, read scripture, and prayed for people by name.
This got me thinking really hard about our lives as Christians. Mr. Rogers was a Presbyterian minister. He was a believer. He believed that Jesus changes us and in turn can change the people around us.
I think that sometimes we can look at people who are further along in their faith and feel like we’re not enough. They seem to know so much. We think that they are kind just because they are kind naturally. They are patient because that’s just their personality. They are happy just because….well… just because their life is always good. But if we’re honest, we know that’s not usually the case.
We don’t see beyond who they are when they are with us. We don’t see them when they are alone. We don’t see them when they are scared. We just watch from afar, wondering how in the world they do it.
From a simple “feel-good” movie, about a man who has gone down in history, this is what I observed about a man I am sure we all believe had living the life we think is impossible down.
He lived his life with PURPOSE.
Mr. Rogers was not messing around when it came to knowing Jesus.
He was purposeful about how he began his day. He got active, he read his Bible and he prayed.
He believed that his prayers changed things.
He wasn’t easily offended.
He was ridiculously purposeful to really listen and to hear what people were saying.
He didn’t make life hard. He just didn’t. He purposely made hard things simple so that they could be understood by even kids.
He loved well.
He cared and he made sure that the people he was with knew that he cared. He remembered details about the lives of people he only talked on the phone with.
These aren’t things that came easily, as his wife explained to Lloyd, the reporter. This was a purposeful move on his part to move towards people and to love them well. It was never about “Mr. Rogers” to Mr. Rogers. He lived his life to love others and make them feel worth that love.
I know I was not the only one who left the movie theater in awe, who left knowing that I wanted to live my life that purposeful with people. To love well. To listen well. To not complicate things. To be someone more purposeful with my prayers.
Tell me your thoughts! Did you watch it? Are you better because of it?? How do you live your life with purpose?