On Sunday afternoon after raking leaves around our church’s neighborhood, Andy and I settled in to watch a movie. He suggested that we watch Anne of Green Gables. Andy bought me this movie (my ALL TIME FAVORITE movie) for Christmas a couple years ago. He even agreed to watch it with me during the holiday break! What a guy! Well, on Sunday he suggested we watch it again since it has been so long. We watched the first 4 hour half on Sunday and then last night we watched the second half. I always come away from that movie so inspired.

Anne is such an amazing character. Her background is tragic, yet she finds herself taken in by an initially apprehensive but eventually unconditionally loving elderly brother and sister. Because of her temper, Anne gets into all kinds of predicaments when she is young, but she grows into a lovely and inviting woman full of love and grace. She is able to face all the toughest, most prickly people along the way and somehow draw out the goodness that exists within their abbrasive exteriors. Anne is very dramatic, fun-loving, serious, smart, caring, compassionate, brave, determined, kind, selfless, humble and persistant. She has a way of interacting with people that breaks down all their walls and captivates them. I really can’t seem to come up with enough words to really capture the kind of person she is.

When the movie ended I mentioned to Andy that I want to be more like Anne. I want to be more concerned about others than myself. I want to love people right where they’re at and find the good inside of them no matter how buried it may be. I want to be caring and serve others while maintaining a sense of strength. I want to always do my best and face challenges with an optimistic attitude. I want people to go away from spending time with me and be better and happier than they used to be. Andy reminded me that the things I love about Anne are the things I love about Jesus. I mustn’t forget that He is not only God, but that He was a man who influenced the world more than any other. He embodies all the things I love about Anne of Green Gables. As I draw near to Him, I will be more like Him and see some of those things I hope for become a reality in my life.

Last Sunday our church hosted a “Trunk or Treat” event for the kids. People signed up to decorate their cars and hand out candy from their trunks. Unfortunately the evening was cold, windy and rainy!! The kids had fun anyway, but some of the trunk decorations (read MY trunk decorations) were ruined by the weather. Rain and pink crepe paper don’t mix!!

Andy and I did a Barbie theme. I was barbie and he was Ken. I still have to track down a picture of both of us together, but here is a frightening one of me!