Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I Hope They Don't Screw This Scene Up!!!

I was just downstairs watching television and to my surprise, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Narnia's 3rd movie installment, is coming out WAY earlier than I thought (this Friday!).

The main point is I want to have one last place to treasure one of my FAVORITE/most MEMORABLE scenes from all the Chronicles of Narnia books in case the movie ruins it (so here's your *SPOILER ALERT* if you haven't read the book).

In the book, there's a scene where the character, Eustace, has an encounter with Aslan.  Up until this encounter, Eustace is turned into a dragon as the result of his irresponsibility, childishness, selfishness and greed (he put on a golden bracelet that cursed him and he can't take it off).  It takes Eustace becoming a dragon for him to value his friends and learn to consider the needs of others.  

After a while, he just wants to be a boy again and NO ONE was able to help him.  He desperately cries out and begs Aslan to help him.  There's A LOT of symbolism in this scene that one can apply, but my favorite part is how Aslan helps Eustace become un-dragoned.

Aslan tells Eustace that the change will be painful. He goes on, using his claws to scrape the dragon skin off of Eustace's body as he becomes a boy again.  I hope they include this scene, and do it well!

This scene just reminds me of how as God helps us to get rid of our sins, it hurts.  Sin is not just some ball you hold and can toss away, but it can become part of you, or in this case, a SHELL of you.  The removal of it is therefore FELT.  Although painful, this is the only way we inhabit our own true skin.  Finally, it's NOT something we can do ourselves.

Eustace (illustration from the book)

This is the only scene I remember from the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but I hope the whole movie turned out well!  Let's hope it stuck to the book better than Prince Caspian did!

That's all I got for now, short and sweet instead of a deep-analysis.  C.S. Lewis is awesome.

even though this love is hard to come by...

I


CANNOT BE A MANIPULATOR.
ONLY THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST SHOULD
REIGN IN ME,
INSTEAD OF MY SELFISH LOVE.
NEITHER HONESTY NOR LOVE SHOULD BE
THE WEAPON TO INCITE GUILT IN ANOTHER.
HURT MAY TEMPT ME, BUT NO ONE SHOULD LOVE ME
IF I KEEP A RECORD OF THEIR WRONGS.
AND EVEN THOUGH THIS LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY,
NEVER SHOULD ITS WORTH OF GOLD BE TRADED
SO THAT I CAN HAVE A FORCED PENNY.


THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS
HOW CHRIST HAS LOVE FOR ME THAT HE
ILLUSTRATED THROUGH HIS LIFE, DEATH, AND
RESURRECTION.
THERE IS NO NEED TO MANIPULATE,
ESPECIALLY NOT JESUS BECAUSE HE HAS
ENOUGH LOVE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD--AND THIS KIND OF LOVE
NEVER FAILS.





--------------------------------------
 1 Corinthians 13 

Bidhan Nagar

I know there has been a huge natural disaster in Haiti recently that has caused many deaths along with much more strife.  May God send more and more of his people to aid those who are suffering there. Pray for our brothers and sisters that are involved in this tragedy.

I would also like to draw attention to a disaster that is not in American news.  In Kolkata, India where it's estimated 600 families (2,500 people) have been displaced/became homeless because of a fire.  They also lost all their possessions (dowry, sleeping mats, cooking utensils etc.).

  

The cause of the fire is "unknown," but it is almost certain that it was on purpose by developers in order to use the land for "improvement" or even expanding stuff for the railway station the slum was near.

A good friend of IV's Global Urban Trek has been ministering to the slum and many teams have worked there.  I'm pretty sure most everyone I went on the Trek with this summer visited this slum at one point or another.  Please, above all these people could use your PRAYERS.

Also, if you'd like to donate to our friend, Mahadeb, he will use the money to help the people any way he can.  Just email me or comment or whatever if you'd like his address to send a check to.

Here's an article if you'd like to read more:
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100114/jsp/calcutta/story_11979989.jsp

The title of the slum is the title of this blog and it's also called the Basanti Colony.

I shall continue to lament... it's one of those things that's hard to go about my day-to-day knowing that people I met and in a city I love are suffering like this--especially when it's suspected to be no accident.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQMDa6qnSnk